1. The Proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
2. To learn wisdom and moral instruction, and to discern wise counsel.
3. To receive moral instruction in skillful living,in righteousness, justice, and equity.
4. To impart shrewdness to the morally naive,and a discerning plan to the young person.
5. (Let the wise also hear and gain instruction, and let the discerning acquire guidance!)
6. To discern the meaning of a proverb and a parable,the sayings of the wise and their riddles.
7. Fearing the Lord is the beginning of moral knowledge,but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8. Listen, my child, to the instruction from your father,and do not forsake the teaching from your mother.
9. For they will be like an elegant garland on your head,and like pendants around your neck.
10. My child, if sinners try to entice you,do not consent!
11. If they say, “Come with us!We will lie in wait to shed blood;we will ambush an innocent person capriciously.
12. We will swallow them alive like Sheol,those full of vigor like those going down to the Pit.